Freddy Adu's abrupt dismissal from Portuguese team Belenenses has come as surprise to more than just his fans, as an official at his permanent club, Benfica, told YA.

"Adu has a loan contract with Belenenses until June 2010," a team representative who insisted on remaining anonymous told YA after hearing the news that the much-travelled forward was headed back to the Lisbon team after an unsuccesful spell in Belem.

Benfica would seem to have no room for the wayward Maryland native, who spent a frustrating year on loan at AS Monaco in France before the latest spell at Belenenses.

Adu played only 81 minutes in the fall term after what looked like a promising situation quickly went awry.

Newly appointed head coach Toni sent Adu, and Brazilian younster Igor, on loan from Spanish Liga team Sevilla, packing as he planned changes headed into the second half of the season.

Benfica's ambivalence over the return of the former DC United and Real Salt Lake prodigy suggest another move may be in the cards in January. Adu has fallen completely out of the picture for the US World Cup team, and would need a near miraculous resurgence to make the plane to South Africa.